Recent reports indicate a decline in academic performance among Swedish-born ninth graders, particularly those with already weak results. Despite efforts from the government and educational authorities, equality in education remains elusive, with family background heavily influencing outcomes. The trend, which emerged post-pandemic, highlights a significant drop in grades and eligibility for national programs, especially among girls. Meanwhile, foreign-born students have shown improvement, attributed to earlier integration into the Swedish education system.
New Trend: Decline in Academic Performance Among Swedish-Born Students
New Trend: Decline in Academic Performance Among Swedish-Born Students
The academic performance of ninth graders has deteriorated in recent years, with Swedish-born students with already weak results falling further behind. The Swedish National Agency for Education sees no signs that schools have improved in providing equal opportunities for all students to succeed.
– Despite the investments made by the state and local authorities, we see that the efforts are not sufficient, says Pernilla Jonsson, head of unit at the Swedish National Agency for Education.
A new report from the agency shows how equality in education has changed over time. The conclusion is that it has not improved. There remains a strong link between family background and school results—children from highly educated and affluent homes have better chances. Among Swedish-born students, family background is reflected in almost all subject grades, especially in mathematics.
It is also evident in the increasing proportion of young people excluded from national high school programs in recent years.
This does not apply to the group of foreign-born students, whose eligibility has increased. This is mainly because foreign-born students are now younger when they arrive in Sweden, thus spending more years in Swedish preschool and school.
A Break in the Trend After the Pandemic
For the first time since the late 1990s, it is Swedish-born students who have shown declining results. This trend break came after the pandemic, reflected in both grades and eligibility dropping within the group.
– Our study cannot explain the reasons, but we see that it is the weakest students who are falling behind. Even though foreign-born students are overrepresented in this group, it should not be forgotten that many are Swedish-born, says Pernilla Jonsson.
The decline is also most evident among girls, as described in another recent report by the Swedish National Agency for Education.
Teachers Opting Out
The pandemic, with high absenteeism, may have contributed to further setbacks for students struggling the most. However, there are other explanations. The agency's report points out that there are still significant differences in student composition between different schools.
– There is a risk and a tendency for the most educated and experienced teachers to move away from schools where students face more challenging conditions, says Pernilla Jonsson.
When asked why competence and needs are not matched, she responds:
– Efforts have been made, including targeted support measures and state grants. They have played a role but have not completely solved the problems.